Internal-combustion engine



'f i -5 l,

Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,541

J. F. GARDNER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Nov. 13, 1926 2sheets-sheer i J. F'. GARDNER Jan. 1o, 192s. 1,655,541

INTERNAL coMEusToN ENGINE Filed Nov. 1,5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N'wuenko V i :,.l'- L A I 27 rw 4 mm Patented 3.9, 1928.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

JAMES F. GARDNER, OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Application led November 13, 1926. Serial No. 148,226.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines andmoreparticularly to a rotary internal combustion engine.

An important object of the invention is to b vprovide in a device ofthis character a structure such that proper scavenging of the cylindersis assured and in which compression of the charge is obtained in muchthe same' manner as it is obtained in the ordil0 nary internalcombustion engine.

-A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a.device of this character having movable pistons of which alternatepistons function as scavenging and intaking pistons and ascompressionand explosion pistons.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein chambers are provided within which the charge may becompressed, the intake to the chamber being controlled by a valve, themovement of which is suiiiciently resisted to permit the valve to remainclosed while the exhausting and intaking piston is moving toward thechamber with which it is associated and which opens to admit a chargewhen the compression piston is moving theretoward.

A further 'object of the invention is to rovide a device of thischaracter which ma e readily and cheaply constructed, whic will bedurable and etiicient in service and a general improvement in the art. f

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein for the (purpose of illustration is showna preferre embodiment of y my invention and wherein Figure 1 is avertical sectional view through an engine constructed in accordancelwith my invention;

Figure 2 is a section ont-he line 2-2 ofv Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section showing the manner of tripping the gate;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of FigureB; v Figure 5 is asection' on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

YReferring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10designates a disklike central structure and 11 an annulus mountedl uponthe periphery of the disklike structure and held against displacementlwith relation thereto. Either of these elements may formthe stator orrotor'of the engine. In the present instance, the central disk-likestructure l0 forms the stator and the annulus 11 the. rotor. In thepresent instance, the rotor is shown as comprising an outer rim `12having integrally connected therewith a disk-like face plate 13 which,

flatly abuts oneside of the rotor. At the periphery of the rotor, thisplate is thickened, as at 14, so that it slightly overhangs theperipheralv edge of the stator, for a purpose presently to appear. y v tThe opposite edge of the rim has secured thereto, as at 15, a ring 16,the vinner edge of which flatly abuts the face ofthe disk 10 at thecorresponding side thereof and closes the space between the periphery ofthe disk and the rim 12, The inner edge of the sealing ring ismaintained in engagement with the rim of the disk 10 by the retainingring 17 which is suitably secured to the face of the disk. The sealingring 16 has at its inof these .walls havey arcuate extensions 22 ittingagainst the face of the stator. Between this arcuate wall and theoverlying portion of the rim 12, a chamber 23 is formed, the outer'endofwhich is closed bya radially movable gate 24 slidably mounted in therim, as at 25. `The exterior of the rim is provided with suitable guides26 in which the stems 27 of the gates are mounted. Tension springs 28constantly urge the inner ends of the ates into engagement with theperiphery oil the stator 10. The sides and bottoms of the gates areprovided with packing 28 which engages the inner face of theenlargements 14 and 18 of the disk 13 and ring 16 and the face of thestator. The lower ends of these gates at that side remote from thearcuate extensions 22 of the w'all 21 are provided with fianges or feet29, the purpose of which willhereinafter appear.

The inner faces of the rims are provided with sockets 30 in which thesefeet may be located when the gate is forced outwardly. Each guide 26 haspivoted thereto a springarcuate extensions 22 are the wall 21 remotefrom the chamber 23 to i a point adjacent the free end of the arcuateextension. At the last named end of the groove, the wall of the arcuateextension is perforated by a valve seat 35 having coacting therewith apoppet valve 36, the stem 37 of which is slidably directed through therim 12 and operates within a suitable guide '38 secured to the exteriorof the rim. These valves are seated by springs 39. In each chamber, aspark plug 40 or some similar means is provided for exploding a chargecontained therein. The stator is provided with radially directed slots41 corresponding in number and arrangement to the chambers 23. Slidablymounted within each slot is a piston 42 or 42 urged outwardly by aspring 43l for engagement with the interiorwall of the rim 12. Thesepistons have suitable packings 44 for vengagement with the side walls oftheir 'grooves and with thewall of the rim. APistons 42a have arrangedat oppositesides thereof exhaust and intake ports 45 and 46, theexhaustports being 1ocated at that side of the piston opposing the faces 34 ofthe walls 21. Ashaft or support ,for the stator is provided at 47 whichis preferably hollow to permit the passage of the intake and exhaustconduits 48 and 49 which communicate with these ports'.

The latches 31 each comprise a bell crank lever, one arm 50 of whichengages with the pin 32, the other arm 51 of which is substantiallyradially disposed to the rotor. This arm is engaged by a releasing cam52 carried by the outer end of a support 53 immediately .after a plston42, havmg associated therewith the intake and exhaust ports, has beenpassed by the gate24 of the chamber 23, so that the gate is released andpermitted to close. The faces 34 of the walls 21 act as cams to forcethe pistons 42, 42a inwardly .against the action of their springs 43.The

springs 43 of the pistons 42 are of greater strength than the springs28, which urge the gates to closed position, so that when a piston 42engages with a ate by the foot 29 thereof, the gate is forced outwardly,so that itl may be engaged by its latch and held in open position. i

In the operation of the device and assuming the parts to be intheposition illustrated in Figure 1 and the rotation of the4 rotor 11 to bein the direction of the arrow A of this figure, the-space betweenthe'piston 42a and the adjacent face 34 of the wall 21 is beingscavenged, by reason of the fact that the products of combustion aretrapped between the face of this piston and the wall. Since theirpassage to the chamber 23 is opposed by the action of the spring of thepoppet valve-and their passage through the exhaust port 45 is unopposed,these gases will follow the course of least resistance and pass to the'exhaust conduit 48. Between the opposite face of the piston 42a and theadjacent gate 24, an explosive charge is being introduced for, as thegate recedes from the piston, a vacuum will b e produced, drawing thecharge through the intake port 46. The charge previously introducedbetween the other of the gates 24 and wall 21 is being compressed by thepiston 42 and since there is no escape for this charge except throughthe poppet valve 36, this charge is entering the chamber 23 which-isapproaching the piston 42 and being compressed therein. Between theopposite face of the piston 42 and the wall 21, a previously explodedcharge is exerting its charge to cause rotation of the rotor. As thelchamber, next adjacent the piston. 42a, passes this piston, the cam 52releases the latch, permitting the gate to close, so that the chamber 23may be sealed kfor the recept-ion of the charge which has beenintroduced between the opposite face of the piston 421 and the other ofthe ates 24. As the piston 42 leaves the end o the arcuate extension 22,it forces the gate 24 outwardly, so that is latched. At the sametime,the charge within the chamber 23 is exploded in any-suitable manner. Itwill be noted that each of the pistons is simultaneously performing twofunctions, the pist0n 42 simultaneously compressing a charge andactingas a wall against which the exploded charge may exert its force inone of the arcuate cylinders 53, while the piston 42a is acting toscavenge the other cylinder and introduce a charge thereto. j

j IVhile I have illustrated the rotor as provided with two chambersandone each of the pistons 42 and 42a, it will be obvious that anynumber of chambers and pistons may be provided and it will also beobvious that a number of units similar to 'that illustrated might bemounted upon a single shaft and connected with one another forsynchronous action. Furthermore, if desired, a greater number of pistonsmay be provided than chambers. For example, one of the chambers of thepresent structure could be omitted and the two pistons retained or astructure of this character could be extended to include any desirednumber of chambers and abutments. Any suitable means may be provided forcooling the engine. In the present structure, air cooling is employedand eifected by the rapid rotation. If desired, instead of making themember 10 a stator, this member may rotate, in which event two rotorsare provided which are oppositely acted upon by the explosion. Iaccordingly do not thereof a chamber, radially movable gates closing theouter ends of said. chambers, ra-

diall movable pistons corresponding in num er and arrangement to thechambers, alternate pistons being adapted to engage and move said gatesto open position, means for latching the gates in open position, theremaining pistons each having associated therewith intake and exhaustports com- -municating with the cylinder at opposite sides thereof, theiirst named pistons trapping a charge previously admitted behind the-last named piston and compressing the same and a'poppet valvepermitting admission of the compressed charge to 'the .adjacent chamber.

2. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a rotor and a statorcombining to produce a series of arcuate cylinders having atcorresponding ends thereof compression chambers for the reception of anexplosive charge, gates normally preventing communication between eachcylinder and its associated chamber, pistons traversing said cylindersduring rotation of the rotor, alternate pistons by their engagement withsaid gates shifting the gates to open position, means for latchingthegates in open position, means for releasing the gates immediatelyafter passage of one of the remaining pistons, means for admitting anexplosive charge immediately behind the last named pistons, means foreducting the products of combustion immediately in advance of the lastnamed pistons and check valve controlled means permitting the passage ofa charge compressed within a cylinder by one of the first named pistonsto the chamber of the succeeding cylinder.

3. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a rotor and a statorcombining to produce a series of arcuate cylinders having atcorrespending ends thereof compression cham-v bers for the reception ofan explosive charge, radially shiftable gates normally preventingcommunication between each cylinder and its associated chamber, radiallymovable pistons traversing said cylinders during rotation of the rotor,alternate pistons by their engagement Y with said gates shifting thegates to open position, means for latching the gates in,open position,cam means for releasing the gates immediately after passage of one ofthe remaining pistons, means for admitting an explosive chargeimmediately behind the last named piston, means for educting thelproducts of combustion immediately in advance of the last named pistonand means for conducting a charge compressed in one cylinder by one ofthe first named pistonsto the chamber of the succeeding cylinder.

4.-. In a rotary i a rotor and a stator combining'to produce a series ofarcuatel cylinders having yat corresponding endsthereof compressionchambers for the reception of an explosive charge, f

nternal combustion engine,

radially movable spring-pressed gates nor-7'?" mally preventingcommunication between each cylinder and its associated chamber,.radiallymovable s ring-pressed pistons traversing said cylin ers during rotationof the rotor, alternate pistons engaging said gates and having springsof greater strength than the springs urging said gates to closedposition, means forV latching the gates in' open position, cam meansreleasing the gates 1mmediately after passageof any of the remainingpistons, means for admitting an explosive 'cliarge immediately behind'lthelast namedpistons, means for educting the products of combustionimmediately in advance of the last named piston and means forvtransferring a charge compressed by one of `the first named pistonswithin a cylinder to the chamber of the succeeding cylinder.

5. In a rotary internal combustion engine,

Va rotor and ak stator combining -to produce a series of arcuatecylinders having at corresponding ends thereof compression chambers forthe reception of an explosive charge, gates normally preventingcommunication between each cylinder and its associated chamber, pistonstraversing said cylinders during rotation of the rotor, alternatepistons by their engagement with said gates shifting the gates to openposition, means' for latching the gates in open position, means forreleasing the gates immediately after passage of one of the remainingpistons, means for admitting an explosive charge immediately behind thelast named pistons, means for educting the products of combustionimmediately in advance of the last named pistons and check yalvecontrolled means permitting the passage of a charge compressed within acylinder by one of the first named pistons to the chamber of thesucceeding cylinder, said chambers each including a. radial wall havingan arcuate extension, the check valve having its seat in said arcuateextension, the face of the extension of the wall having a grooveplacingr said seat in communication with the adjacent end of thepreceding cylinder.

6. In a rotary internal combustion engine, a rotor and a statorcombining to produce a series of arcuate cylinders having atcorresponding ends thereof compres=ion chambers for the reception et a nexplosive charge, gates normally preventing communication between eachcylinder and its associated chamber, pistons traversing said cylindersduring rotation of the rotor, alternate pistons, means for educting theproducts of l0 trolled means permitting the passage of a combustionimmediately in advance of the 4 last named pistons and check valveconcharge compressed within a cylinder by one of the first named pistonsto the chamber of the succeeding cylinder, said 'chambers eachincluding` a`radial Wall-having an arcuate extension, the check valvehaving its seat in said arcuate extension, the face of the ex- .tensionof the Wall having a groove placing said seat in communication with theadjacent end of the preced-ing cylinder, the face of the radial wallconfronting the compres, sible cylinder in the form of a. cam causing aradial movement of the piston. v

7 In a rotary internal combustion engine, a rotor and a stator combiningto produce a series of arcuate cylinders having at corresponding endsthereof compression chambers for the reception of an explosive charge,

ates normally preventing communication tween each cylinder and itsassociated chamber, pistons traversing said cylinders during rotation ofthe rotor, alternate pistons by their engagement with said gatesshifting the gates to open position, means for latching the gates inopen position, means for releasing the gatesv immediately after passageof one the remaining pistons, means for admitting an explosive chargeimmediately behind the last named pistons, meansipr educting the roductsof comliustion lmmediately in a vance of the last named pistons andcheck valve controlled means permitting the passage of a chargeVcompressed Within a cylinder by one of the first named pistons to thechamber -of the succeeding cylinder, said chambers each vincluding aradial wall having an arcuate extension, the check valve having its seatin said arcuate extension, the. face of the eX- tension of the wallhaving a groove placing said seat in communication with the adjacent endo the preceding cylinder, said gates each having its inner end portionarranged immediately adjacent the arcuate extension of said wall whenthe gate is in the closed position.A

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. 4

l JAMES F. GARDNER.

